Context:  Recently, the Chief Justice of India proposed creation of a National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India (NJIAI).
Aout NJIAI

• The proposed NJIAI could work as a central agency with each State having its own State Judicial Infrastructure Authority, much like the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) model.
• NALSA was constituted to establish a nationwide uniform network for providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society.

NJIAI will take control of the budgeting and infrastructure development of subordinate courts in the country.

• The proposed NJIAI should be placed under the Supreme Court of India unlike NALSA which is serviced by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
• It will not suggest any major policy change but will give complete freedom to HCs to come up with projects to strengthen ground-level courts.

Members

• In the NJIAI there could be a few High Court judges as members, and some central government officials because the centre must also know where the funds are being utilised.
• Similarly, in the State Judicial Infrastructure Authority, in addition to the Chief Justice of the respective High Court and a nominated judge, four to five district court judges and state government officials could be members.

Scheme for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
• Launched in: 1993-94
• Aim: To improve the physical infrastructure requirements of the courts as also the housing needs of judicial officers in the country to facilitate better justice delivery.

Budget and Expenditure

• Centre and the State Government ratio: 60:40
• For North East states, ratio is 90:10.

Suggestions for improving judicial infrastructure in India
The Department of Justice at the central level can coordinate with the State Law Departments on the following actions:

• Publish a detailed break-up of judicial budget and utilization annually in addition to information about utilization and unspent balances.
• Conceptualize a scheme for renovation and maintenance of older, existing court complexes, to align with Universal Design principles.
• Set up an infrastructure grievance redressal cell and designate an appropriate authority from the Registry within the court complexes.
• Prepare annual reports on infrastructure, based on requirements laid down by central government.
• Partner with stakeholders to generate public awareness around infrastructure and access to justice.
• Review existing surveys and develop a comprehensive questionnaire for assessing court infrastructure
• Generate public feedback on judicial infrastructure by raising critical issues, uploading photographs, filing complaints as evidence of poor facilities wherever possible.